How to cope with cultural dilemmas in an increasingly globalized world.Mette Stæhr
We have read a text ("Body Ritual among the Nacirema’ The American Anthropologist, vol. 58 (1956), pp. 503-507.) to prepare the lesson.
After reading the text we´ve tried to explain why the people of "Nacirema tribe" have rituals with a lot of pain in their bodies.
Soon we have noticed that we (people from european culture) have too painful rituals. For example, piercings, tatoos...
It has been a good way to make us think about how we think about "US" and "THEM" making a very big difference in the habits, behaviors that create the distance between cultures. But the reality is that we have a lot in common but we try always to justify our behavior as normal and the others like strange.
Before to talk about specific dilemmas we should define "culture", in order to understand this challenge.
We´ve made a brainstorming about what culture means or about what other words appear in our minds when we think about it.
Some of the words we have said are:
religion, traditions, norms, history, habits, language, values, moral, diversity, identity, rules, laws.
We agree that the definition in a mix between some of this words.
The teacher have shown us three different anthropological definitions of culture: since an evolutionary point of view, since a relativistic point of view and a complex concept of culture.
The evolutionary concept of culture says that some cultures better than others.
The relativistic concept of culture says that all cultures are equal.
The complex concept of culture says that culture is not something that you have because it´s created when the people interact.
It´s really interesting stop for a while and think since what point of view each of us is looking the cultures. And, also, why we have those thoughts, what kind of pressures and influences have created it...
I´ve already thought about something that Mette said in class. It would be nice to find some universal rules and laws. The fact is that we have some international law: the Human Rights.
But now... one question for ourselves: who made it...? The answer is... the western countries.
Here we have an opposition between the relativistic view of the cultures (all the cultures and their behavior are valids) and the Universal Human Rights (all the cultures have to respect some rules).
We had to read some cases describing cultural dilemmas in different educational contexts. After that, we had to find solutions.
CASES
1. My solution would be ask why the food is as it is. I think that this is the best option because I wouldn´t try to change it, only to understand the reasons they have to choose it. After that, with more information about it, I would decide what to do, if it´s possible to introduce some changes... I would try to be relativistic but maybe at the end, if I decide to act, I would be evolutionist.
2. My solution would be a mix of the options: I would try to offer comfort the children and I would try to invite parents to give them the opportunity to play with them. I would be evolutionist.
3. My solution would be to say that they can continue the work after say hi. I wouldn´t say that they don´t have to rise because probably they have been taught to do it. I would be relativistic.
4. My solution would be try to find out more about why he did what he did: a relativistic point of view to know more without try to change them.
5. My solution would be talk with the social worker to say him that it would be the last chance.
6. My solution would be to tell them that it´s very unhealthy to smoke and also in class I would give more information about the cigarettes. I would be evolutionist because I would try to change that behavior before it changes into a habit.
7. My solution would be fight with myself and don´t say anything about the fact that she can have dinner with us because she wouldn´t feel good. I would be relativistic: the situation is a part of the culture, it´s valid.
2. My solution would be a mix of the options: I would try to offer comfort the children and I would try to invite parents to give them the opportunity to play with them. I would be evolutionist.
3. My solution would be to say that they can continue the work after say hi. I wouldn´t say that they don´t have to rise because probably they have been taught to do it. I would be relativistic.
4. My solution would be try to find out more about why he did what he did: a relativistic point of view to know more without try to change them.
5. My solution would be talk with the social worker to say him that it would be the last chance.
6. My solution would be to tell them that it´s very unhealthy to smoke and also in class I would give more information about the cigarettes. I would be evolutionist because I would try to change that behavior before it changes into a habit.
7. My solution would be fight with myself and don´t say anything about the fact that she can have dinner with us because she wouldn´t feel good. I would be relativistic: the situation is a part of the culture, it´s valid.
My reflection
I would like to express in a few sentences the things I´ve learned in this class.
"People meet people; cultures dont´meet cultures"
"It´s better to talk about different behaviors than different cultures"
"Before to talk about someone, try to walk with his shoes"
